air bag install 30' BT Cruiser

[chris_diane]

I am considering rear air bag install on my e450 and I noticed the exhaust pipe close to the right rear spring. Does anyone have a picture of the right rear air bag? It doesn't appear the bag would have enough clearance or the heat from the exhaust could ruin the bag.

[fourthclassC]

Howdy,
I've installed Firestone ride rites on the last 3 campers I had. They always came with a steel shield to be installed on top of the spring on the side that the tailpipe is located. It has not been a problem in any of the 3 cases. Of course the air line tubing has to be installed properly away from heat.

[DrewE]

I think you have a similar suspension setup, though I guess they changed it a little. My springs are also "upside down" or rather nearly straight diagonally by design. A quick search suggested that the Firestone Ride-Rite setup for 2005 needed two inches clearance above the frame rail, so I suppose perhaps the little shelf part ends up being mounted a bit higher up on the frame rail.

From what I can tell, they work nicely...though I have no way of comparing before and after.

[chris_diane]

I think I have the picture insert figured out.

[chris_diane]

I have the upside down leaf spring and spring stack is higher than in your picture. I only have about 4" from the spring plate to the top of the frame rail. My rv is a 2005.

[DrewE]

Here are some attempted pictures, both on the passenger side. It's not the most convenient place to take photographs!

First, passenger side looking back from the front:

Click For Full-Size Image

As is pretty clear, the airbag unit is attached to the top of the leaf springs, and bears against a sort of shelf welded to the frame rail. The spring hangers are, of course, also on the side of the frame rail (but not in the picture). A bit of the exhaust piping is visible on the other side of the frame rail, but it's hard to make out unless you know what you're looking for already.

Second, same wheel, from the back looking forward:

Click For Full-Size Image

Here, the exhaust pipe coming back is clearly visible in the lower left, bending upwards over the axle (in the shadow). The vertical pipe-looking thing towards the back (which is, of course, the front of the vehicle) is the worn-out shock absorber that I ordered a replacement for this morning. On the frame rail, partly hidden by the leaf spring, is the rubber bounce stop that the axle bottoms out against if it were to bottom out. (The out of focus reddish thing all across the top is the underside of a storage compartment or plumbing bay or something similar and uninteresting in terms of suspension.)

I hope this is somewhat helpful.

[DrewE]

On my '98, the air helpers are installed outboard of the leaf springs, with the exhaust running up over the axle on the opposite side of the frame rail. I can post a picture a little later if that would help. It's certainly possible that the details of the suspension mount or of the exhaust routing are not the same as for your motorhome, so I don't guarantee that it will be perfectly helpful.

[Tonijim]

We had rear bags installed on our '03 BT 5270. Installer laid intake tubing across exhaust pipe. Predictably, air bag wouldn't hold air until another installer did it right. Make sure your guy does it right!

PS - we have since traded the BT.

Good luck.

Jim